Historic Boston has taken on its latest project: the $3.8 million rehabilitation of the dilapidated Alvah Kittredge House in Roxbury.

On Tuesday, construction began on the 19th century mansion at 10 Linwood St. that has been vacant for more than two decades. Under the plan, the nonprofit will turn the neglected building into five, 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom apartments. The three market rate units expect to rent for $1,750 while the two affordable ones will go for $1,227.

Once a grand estate symbolic of Roxbury and Boston’s growth following the America Revolution, the 6,400-square-foot home was built by furniture maker Alvah Kittredge in 1836. It is a rare surviving example of this period and architecture in Boston. The structure, one of the few remaining high-style Greek Revival style houses of its kind left in the city, requires extensive structural repairs as well as detailed restoration of its finish work.

Kittredge House was built on the site of a fort used in the Revolutionary War. In the 1970s, it was home of the Roxbury Action Program, a social services group. The property was taken by eminent domain by the Boston Redevelopment Authority because of its deteriorating condition and sold to Historic Boston in 2011 for $1.

“Historic Boston’s sustained effort to save the Kittredge House, with the support of many friends and neighbors, has resulted in a project that will put it back into active use as housing and restore it to a place of great pride for the Highland Park community,” said Kathy Kottaridis, Historic Boston’s executive director, in a statement.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino praised Historic Boston’s mission of preserving important buildings in the city and finding new purposes for them, while also targeting neighborhoods where new economic activity will attract further growth.

“Kittredge House is a special building in a special neighborhood,” said Menino. “It is a great example of the magic that Historic Boston works with our old treasures in the City of Boston. We are happy to have helped them get to a groundbreaking and in sight of a ribbon cutting for new homes for Boston residents.”

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